Strip applying machines



kann

Sept. 9, 1958 -C. H. JAMES STRIP APPLYING MACHINES v Filed June 25, 1957 i i l 1 nvenor Cyril ff, rfczmeS f nez/ United States STRIP APPLYING MACHINES Cyril Harry James, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 25, 1957, Serial No. 667,774

Claims priority, application Great Britain June 25, 1956 11 Claims. (Cl. 12-67) adhesively attached to the upper, a strip of material simulating a welt is commonly applied to the upper margin of the sole to enhance the appearance of the shoe. Similarly, such a strip may be applied to the outwardly projecting portion of any type of shoe, not of the usual welt construction, corresponding to the above-mentioned sole margin.

The strip may be of leather, rubber or a suitable synthetic material, is sometimes indented to emphasize its welt-like appearance and is usually adhesively attached to the shoe.

In applying such a strip to a shoe it is important that the inner edge o-f the strip be fully seated against the side of the upper contiguous to the welt crease and that the strip b-e rmly attached to the projecting portion of the shoe at the lower side of the welt crease over the entire width of the strip.

To this end, the illustrated machine, which has cooperating applying and supporting members between which a shoe margin and a strip to be applied thereto are presented, is also provided, in accordance with a feature of the invention, with a guide for directing the strip toward the 4point of operation of the members and a gage for positioning the strip widthwise thereof with respect to the shoe margin by engagement with the edge of the portion of the strip between the above-mentioned guide and the members, the guide being constructed and arranged both to support the portion of the strip about to be applied to the shoe away from the shoe and with the outer edge of the strip opposite to the gage. The strip is thus free, just prior to its attachment, to be properly positioned by the gage and is applied to the shoe with the inner edge of the strip bearing against the side of the shoe upper.

Although the above described positioning of the strip may be eected by a gage disposed in a iixed position appropriate for the width of the strip in use, the gage as embodied in the illustrated machine is mounted, in accordance with a further feature of the invention,for movement widthwise of the strip .and is biased toward the shoe being operated upon so asto ensure that the strip, regardless of variations in its width, willv always be fully seated within the welt crease against the side of the upper.

The above and other features of the invention, including provisions for the control and adjustment of the gage and also for heating the guide for purposes of activating a heat responsive adhesive coating on the strip, will now be described in detail in the following specification with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings,

arent O ICC Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of parts of the machine shown in Fig. 1 at an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the strip guiding and positioning means shown in Fig. 2.

The illustrated machine comprises a Work-supporting feed roll 10 between which and an applying roll 12 a Work piece, such as a shoe W, is presented for the purpose of applying a strip S, simulating a welt, to the upper margin of the sole of the shoe. The roll 12 is frustoconical, having a diameter of about two inches, and is mounted upon the forward end of a shaft 14 which freely rotates upon a block 16, the latter being Xed between the side walls of a U-shaped bracket 18. The bracket is fixed upon the forward portion of a base plate 19. The roll 12 is canted so as to permit the lower portion of its periphery to be seated fully upon the margin of the sole, close to the side of the upper of the shoe, without interference between the forward face of the roll and the side of the shoe above the sole, particularly in the shank portions thereof where the side of the shoe overhangs the sole margin to some extent.

The roll 10 is held by a nut 20 upon the forward end of a shaft 22 which is mounted to rotate freely within a member 24, the latter being mounted to swing vertically between the side walls of the bracket 18 upon a pin 26 connecting the side walls. The member 24 is biased upwardly, to cause the roll 10 to hold kthe work W against the applying roll 12, by a spring 28 the forward end of which abuts a pair of check nuts 30 which are threaded upon a rod 32, the latter being connected by a pin 34 to an arm 36 which is integral with and projects downwardly from the member 24.` The rear end of the spring 28 abuts a bar 38 which is fixed to a bracket 40 mounted upon the base plate 19. The bar 38 is bored freely to receive the rod 32 and, when no work is in the machine, is engaged by one of a pair of lock nuts 42 which are threaded upon the rear end ofthe rod 32 adjustably to limit the normal uppermost position of the roll 10.

To facilitate the insertion of a work piece between the rolls 10 and 12, the roll 10 is lowered by `depressing a treadle (not shown) for operating a treadle rod 44 which is pivotally connected at 46 to the member 24. Upon the release of the treadle, a shoe having been inserted between the rolls 10 and 12 with the side of the shoe upper abutting the forward face of the applying roll 12,A the margin of the shoe is urged upwardly toward the applying roll 12 with a yielding pressure derived from the spring 28.

The roll 10 is constantly driven, in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, and for this purpose there is mounted upon the bracket 40 a reduction gear unit 48 having an output shaft 50 which is connected to the shaft 22 by a universal coupling 52. The unit 48 is connected by a belt 54 with a suitable source of power such as an electric motor.

It is contemplated that the strip S to be applied to the shoe may have a Icoating of either pressure sensitive or heat responsive adhesive and that, 'if desired, the margin of the shoe to which the strip is to be applied may `also have been adhesively coated prior to the strip applying operation. The strip is directed toward the bite of the rolls 10 and 12 by a flattened tubular guide 56 (Fig. 4) the width of which is lsuiicient to accommodate the widest strip to be used. The guide 56 is fixed upon the lower portion of a block 58 (Fig. 2), the left-hand side of which is shaped in conformity to the peripheryv of the applying roll 12, the block being mounted closely adjacent to this roll upon the outer end of an arm 60. This arm is mounted to swing upon a pin 62 which is supported in a boss 64 (Fig. 1) carried by the left side wall of the frame 18 whereby the block 5 8 and guide 56 may be swung away from their operative positions, in which they-are illustrated in Fig. 2, rearwardly of the machine into an inoperative position. The block 5.8 is bored to receive a heating unit 65 for heating the guide so as to activate a heat responsive adhesive coating on a strip S of this type just prior to its attachment to the shoe. A handle 66, fixed upon the arm 60, yis provided to facilitate swinging the guide 56 between its operative and inoperative positions.

Upon the emergence of the strip S from the tubular portion of the guide 56, the outer edge of the strip is engaged by an edge gage 68 which is shaped in conformity to the periphery of the applying roll 12 and envelops a portion thereof extending from the guide 56 to and beyond the bite of the rolls. The edge gage has a thickness substantially equal to that of the strip S and is mounted between the rolls and 12 for movement crosswise of their peripheries toward and away from the side of a shoe between the rolls. For this purpose, the edge gage is fixed upon a block 70 which is biased forwardly of the machine within a recess 72 (Fig. 3) in the block 16, by a spring 74 which is compressed between the rear end vof the block 70 and a plate 76 iixed upon the rear of the block 16. The block 70 is supported at its lower side by a cap plate 78 fixed upon the blocle16.

Forward movement of the edge gage is limited by stop means comprising a stud Si) which is xed to the' block 70, extends through a clearance hole in the plate 76 and has threaded thereon an adjusting nut 82 which, upon abutting the rear-side of the plate 76, causes the edge gage to be positioned in its normal operative position. A lock nut 84 threaded on a stud 80 and engageable with the rear end of the adjusting nut 82 is provided to hold the adjusting nut in its desired setting. Rearward movement ofthe edge gage is limited by a-stop screw 86 which is threaded into the plate 76, and is arranged to engage the rearward end of the block 7i). The screw 86 may be clamped in its desired setting by turning a lock nut 88, which .is threaded on the screw 86, into engagement with the rear vside of the plate 76.

The portion of the strip S about to be applied to the shoe, upon emerging from the guide S6, is supported, so that the outer edge of the strip is opposite to the forward edge of the edge gage 68, by a lip 90 which projects from the bottom side of the uuide substantially up to the point of attachment of the strip to the work. Thus, the lip not only holds the strip in the desired relation to the edge gage but also prevents premature engagement with the work of the portion of the strip being acted upon by the gage.

The use and `operation of the machine will now be briey summarized. A piece of strip material S to be applied to the work piece W, either in a short length or from a continuous length stored on a reel, is inserted into the guide 56 so that the leading end of the Strip projects somewhat beyond the left-hand end of the lip 90. For convenience in inserting the strip into the guide, it may be swung away from the rolls by moving the handle 66 rearwardly. If the strip in use is coated withV a heat responsive adhesive, the heating element 65 will be put into operation so as to impart the necessary heat to the guide 56 and its lip 90 for activating the adhesive and the `guide will be returned to its operative-position contiguous to the rolls. strip is now disposed adjacent to the bite of the rolls with its outer edge opposite to the forward edge of the edge gage 68, the lip 90 ensuing this condition by Vsupporting the strip at its lower side.

Upon depressing the treadle rod 44, Athe roll lll)` is lowered to permit the admission of the margin of a work.

TheV leading endof theV piece to be operated upon between the rolls, and the work piece is moved rearwardly between the rolls until its side contiguous to the margin to which the tape is to be applied abuts against the outer face of the applying roll 12. The edge gage 68 will have been adjusted by means of the .adjusting nut 82 so as to expose a portion of the periphery of the applying roll 12 having a width equal to, or preferably slightly less than, the width of thefstrip S. It is evident that with the preferred setting of the gage, the inner edge of the portion of the strip about to be applied to the margin of the shoe will be yieldingly pressed against the side of the shoe upper adjacent to the margin of the shoe regardless of whether the width of the strip is either somewhat greater or less than its normal width.

Upon the release of the treadle rod 44, and assuming the motor for driving the roll 10 to have been started, theV shoe is urged upwardly toward the applying roll 12 which presses the strip S against the shoe margin and causes the strip progressively to be applied to the margin lin respoue to the feeding movement of the shoe imparted thereto by the roll 1,0. During the application of the strip, the portion thereof about to be applied to the work is continuously held out of contact with the work up to the point of attachment of the strip to the work by the lip and also is held fully seated within the crease between the sole margin and the shoe upper by the edge gage 68.

The canted position of the applying roll 12 ensures the application of pressure to the strip over its entire width, even in the shank portions of the shoe where the sides `of the shoe overhang the margin of the sole to some extent, by avoiding interference between thc forward face of the roll with the side of the shoe above the crease.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A strip applying machine comprising cooperating applying and supporting members between which a margin of a shoe and a strip to be applied thereto are presented, a guide for directing the strip toward said mein bers, a gage for positioning the strip widthwise thereof with respect to the shoe margin by engagement with an edge of the unapplied portion of the strip between said guide and said members, and a member for supporting the said portion of the strip so that its edge is opposite to said gage.

2. In a machine for applying a strip of material to a margin of a work piece which projects from a side of the work piece, a work supporting member, a pressing mem ber for applying a strip to the margin of a work piece presented between said members with the side of the work piece engaging said pressing member, a gage arranged to engage the outer edge of the portion of the strip about to be applied te the work piece, said gage being biased toward the work piece relatively to said pressing member whereby the inner edge of the said portion of the strip is urged against the side of the work piece, and a guide for directing the strip toward said members and for supporting the said portion of the strip so that its outer edge is opposite to said gage.

3. In a machine for applying an adhesively coated strip of material to a margin of a work piece which projects from a side thereof, a work supporting member and a pressing member between which the margin of the work piece and said strip are progressively presented to cause the strip to be applied to the work piece, a guide for directing said strip toward the point of operation of said members, said guide having a projection for holding the coated side of the portion of said strip about to be applied to the work piece out of contact therewith, and a gage disposed between said members and engageable with the outer edge of said portion of the strip for hold` ing it against the side of the work piece.

4. In a machine for applying an adhesively coated strip of material to the margin of a shoe projecting outwardly thereof from the side of the shoe upper, a work supporting roll and a presser roll between which said margin and said strip are presented progressively to press the coated side of said strip against said margin, a guide for directing said strip toward the bite of said rolls and for holding the coated side of said strip out of engagement with said margin in advance of the point of operation of said rolls upon said strip and margin, and a gage arranged to engage the outer edge of the portion of said strip about to be applied to the shoe and to hold it against the side of the shoe upper.

5. In a strip applying machine having cooperating l rolls between which the margin of a shoe and an adhesively coated strip to be applied to the shoe are presented, a guide for directing said strip toward the bite of said rolls and for preventing engagement with the shoe of the coated side of the portion of said strip about to be applied to the shoe, a gage disposed between said rolls for engaging the outer edge of said portion of said strip and holding its inner edge against a side of the shoe contiguous to the margin thereof, and means for heating said guide whereby the adhesive on said strip is activated.

6. In a machine for applying a strip of material to a work piece, a work supporting roll, a strip applyingroll, a guide for directing a strip of material to be applied to the work piece toward the bite of said rolls, a gage enveloping a portion of the periphery of said applying roll between said guide and said bite, and a member for supporting the side of the strip adjacent to the work piece so as to hold the outer edge of the portion of the strip about to be applied to the work piece opposite to said gage.

7. In a machine for applying an adhesively coated strip of material to the sole margin of a shoe, a work supporting roll, a strip applying roll for pressing a strip against the sole margin of a Shoe between said rolls, a guide for directing the strip of material to be applied to the shoe toward the bite of said rolls and for holding the portion of the strip about to be applied to the shoe away therefrom, and a gage disposed between said rolls and enveloping a portion of the periphery of said' applying roll contiguous to said bite for holding the strip against the side of the shoe at and in advance of the point of attachment of the strip to the shoe.

8. In a machine for applying a strip of material to a margin of a Work piece, a work supporting memberand a pressing member, a tubular guide for directing a strip of material toward the point of operation of said meinbers upon a work piece disposed therebetween, and a gage extending from said guide to said members for positioning the strip Widthwise thereof relatively to the margin of the work piece by engagement with an edge of the portion of the strip about to be applied to the work piece, said guide having a lip projecting therefrom toward said members for supporting the said portion of the strip so that its edge is opposite to said gage.

9. ln a machine for applying a strip of material t0 the margin of a shoe projecting outwardly thereof from the side of the shoe upper, cooperating applying supporting members between which the shoe margin and the strip to be applied thereto are presented, a gage mounted for movement toward and away from the shoe for holding the portion of said strip about to be applied to the shoe against the side thereof, a guide for directing said strip toward said members and for supporting said se that its outer edge is opposite to said gage, yielding ineens for urging said gage toward the shoe, and means for adjustably limiting the movement of said gage.

IG. In a strip applying machine having cooperating stro applying and work supporting members between the margin of a shoe and a strip of material to he applied thereto are presented, a gage mounted between said members for movement laterally of the strip and arranged to engage the outer edge thereof, a guide for directing the strip toward said members and for supporting a portion of said strip about to be applied to the work so that its edge is opposite to said gage, means for biasing said gage against the outer edge of said strip whereby its'inner edge is held against the shoe, and a stop for adjustably limiting movement of said gage toward the shoe.

ll. In a strip applying machine having cooperating strip applying and work supporting rolls between which the margin of a shoe and a strip of material to be applied thereto are presented, a gage mounted between said rolls for movement laterally `of the strip and arranged to engage the outer edge thereof, a guide for directing the strip toward said members and for supporting a portion of the strip about to be applied to the work so that its edge is opposite to said gage, means for biasing said gage against the outer edge of said strip whereby its inner edge is held against the shoe, and stop means for adjustably limiting the movement of said gage toward and away from the shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,684,648 Ashworth et al. July 27, 1954 

